Sunday, February 28, 2010

In some places here in the United States they don’t want to display an American flag in the classroom because it might offend someone? How did this become a problem? Pledging to the flag is also a no-no. How did this become a problem? Praying before a ball game or a meal. How did this become a problem? The list goes on and on. In our Scripture text come solutions to three “problems” faced by the church of Jesus Christ, strangely enough for two of the problems the texts are used to help cause the problem. One is the doctrine that Jesus went to Hell after Calvary- and there are various versions of that one- some held by good people even, second that numbers/prosperity define success, and thirdly, that one must be baptized to be saved. Now if you read the text you likely would not find those doctrines so you may have to ask yourself- How did this become a problem? Providentially the answers are found in the Scriptures but first let me answer in part- How did this become a problem?

I Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:2 Peter 2:1-3 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you3:16b-18 …they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

I. JESUS PREACHING TO PEOPLE IN PRISON? [v. 18-20a]

1. What He Did [v. 19]

2. When He Did It [v. 20]

3. How He Did It [v. 18, 1:10-12]

Isaiah 59:21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.

II. SUCCESS BY THE NUMBERS? [v. 20b]

1. Noah was a Success [Heb. 11:7]

2. Noah was a Preacher [2 Peter 2:5]

And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

Q: Are you just a "monkey's uncle"?

A: Perhaps the most bitter pill to swallow for any Christian who attempts to "make peace" with Darwin is the presumed ape ancestry of man. Even many Christians who uncritically accept evolution as "God's way of creating" try to somehow elevate the origin of man, or at least his soul, above that of the beasts. God tells us that on the same day He made all animals that walk on the earth (the sixth day), He created man separately in His own image with the intent that man would have dominion over every other living thing on earth (Genesis 1:26–28). From this it is clear that there is no animal that is man's equal, and certainly none his ancestor. Thus, when God paraded the animals by Adam for him to name, He observed that "for Adam there was not found an help meet for him" (Genesis 2:20). Jesus confirmed this uniqueness of men and women when He declared that marriage is to be between a man and a woman because "from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female" (Mark 10:6). This leaves no room for prehumans or for billions of years of cosmic evolution prior to man's appearance on the earth. Adam chose the very name "Eve" for his wife because he recognized that she would be "the mother of all living" (Genesis 3:20). The apostle Paul stated clearly that man is not an animal: "All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds" (1 Corinthians 15:39). It's clear that the idea of ape-men does not fit with what the Bible says, but what about all the supposed "evidence" for human evolution? Continue reading on our website to see what the facts of the fossil record really tell us.

I Am Not Ashamed!

I am not ashamed began with a simple conversation and prayerful consideration of what message America needs to hear most right now. We knew we wanted a message that would focus on the Word of God. A powerful message that would resonate in the hearts of believers and challenge people everywhere to think about God. We also wanted a message that would offer a clear call to Christians around the world to stand unashamedly and uncompromisingly on the Bible. Now, after months of prayerful preparation, we are about to launch a new website designed to bring people together for one cause—the authority of God's Word. Coming soon—iamnotashamed.org.

News to Note Quick Look

Small dogs' genesis: You may not have been asking, but some scientists think they have the answer to where small dogs "evolved." Read more.The planet-eater: Pity poor planet WASP-12b: its host star not only heats it to more than 4,700°F (2600 C), but also is in the process of eating it. Read more.Also:

Friday, February 26, 2010

Psalm 135:5 "For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods."

Some things and some people defy description--you cannot describe them apart from means of contrast. You can't compare them to anything or anyone because they have no equal. For instance, if you have never been to Grand Canyon, and I tried to describe it to you, I could not compare it to anything! I could give you a contrast (Palo Duro Canyon in Texas), but the truth is, you could probably fit several Palo Duros into the Grand Canyon! I could describe Grand Canyon to you but only by way of contrast.

So with whom can you compare God? He has no equal or peer. You can contrast God, but there is no way to compare God. Any comparison you make ends up becoming a contrast! That is why verse five says, "For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods." What does great mean? He is "above all gods"--that is contrast.

God made man in His image; man makes idols in his. Why are idols promiscuous, immoral, and gluttonous? Because man is idolizing what he likes. But God is holy and righteous--that is contrast. God is powerful; we are weak. God is wise; we are helpless. God does whatever He wants wherever He wants (verse 6), but He always does what is right, just, and holy. In contrast, idols do what man wants! With an idol, man is the one "pulling the strings."

Any god that man can make is not worthy of the name "god." How can a man make a god? "They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths." (verses 15-17) The greatest commentary comes in verses 18: "They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them."Any person who makes an idol is just like the idol he makes. That is true both in desires and in powerlessness.

This all boils down to one question: How are you going to create this day, in God's image or in yours? Will you be concerned with what God wants or what you want? Will you live in light of God's power or your powerlessness? God defies any comparison because He is "great and . . . above all gods." Who will have first place in your life today?

Prayer Requests:

1. Revival service tonight in Bradenton, FL 2. West Branch Families on the Move Conference in Phoenix, AZ today and tomorrow

"But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ." (Ephesians 4:15)

There are many Christians who are sticklers for what they consider sound doctrine, but who are abrasive and unloving in their attitude toward those who hold other doctrines. There are far more Christians, on the other hand, who talk much about Christian love, but who consider doctrinal integrity of secondary--or even negative--significance.

Both groups of professing Christians, however, are only babes in Christ, at best. As our text makes clear, the mature Christian (one who has "grown up into Christ in all things") speaks the truth in love. That is, he is not a babe, "tossed to and fro . . . with every wind of doctrine" (v. 14), but he understands, believes, and teaches the truth of God as revealed in His Word. At the same time, he does so in love, making "increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love" (v. 16).

One cannot really do the truth or teach the truth without manifesting true love, nor can one manifest true love except in a context of genuine truth. "The fruit of the Spirit is love" (Galatians 5:22), but that Spirit who produces such fruit is "the Spirit of truth" (John 15:26). Truth and love are not in conflict with one another, as many Christians seem to think (or at least practice), for they represent two different--not competing--categories. "Truth" is not even included in the nine-fold "fruit of the Spirit" (Galatians 5:22-23), because truth is, itself, the tree on which the fruit must grow.

It is especially important not to be led away from sound biblical truth by popular preachers and teachers who downgrade doctrine in favor of what they may call "love." "My little children," says the apostle John, "let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth" (1 John 3:18). HMM

Thursday, February 25, 2010

"For it is God who works in you BOTH to will (to desire) and to do of His good pleasure" Phil 1:6. Hundreds of times (literally) God has put in my heart and YOURS TOO, a holy hunger, divine desires, Spiritual purposes. The question is , what do you do about them?

No. 2 Every desire or deed for anything good or Godly, GOD PUT IT THERE. Don't ever forget that. That is an awesome thought and fact. The truth is, "the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked". Jeremiah 17:9. Both YOURS and MINE.

When you genuinely begin to realize GOD put every spiritual desire you ever have in you and believe that it will transform your life and fill you with "love, joy and peace" you will really begin to live. Want that? Of course you do. "Thou shall meditate therein day and night...and do it...then shall thou prosper (spiritually) and have good success" Josh 1:8.

Begin to recognize them, realize it is from GOD Himself, respond to Him. Obey God.

Wake up dear Christian and fill you life with responding to the holy hunger and divine desires from God. Danger, watching dumb junk on TV and movies, reading trash in so many books and magazines will certainly pollute your mind and life. Respond to God and not the flesh. MAKE SENSE?

Give a "Ticket to Heaven" to every person.A lady was gloriously saved just reading the tract and told me all about it.Order online or call 1-877-872-2871 to order my tract "Your Ticket to Heaven." Ask for Sales and tell them Sumner Wemp sent you. They will bill you - I get no proceeds from the sale.Mark 16:15. "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."

Genesis 1:9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.Jeremiah 3:17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.

Genesis 2:15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.Genesis 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.Genesis 30:31 And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock.:Genesis 41:35 And let them gather all the food of those good years that come, and lay up corn under the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food in the cities.Exodus 12:17 And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.Proverbs 19:8 He that getteth wisdom loveth his own soul: he that keepeth understanding shall find good.Proverbs 19:16 He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth his ways shall die.Proverbs 21:23 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles

Genesis 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.Genesis 6:12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.Psalm 1:6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.Psalm 2:12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Psalm 118:24 "This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."

The founder of the Ranch, Bill Rice, would often start his day with this psalm. Notice that this day is the day that God has made. Aren't you glad the Bible doesn't say, "Yesterday was the day"? This verse is eternally set in the present tense! "This is the day which the LORD hath made. . . ."

Do you prefer weather that is over 80 degrees, or do you prefer temperatures under 50 degrees? (I've been told there are such people!) Maybe you prefer "perfect weather"--how do you define that? In an average crowd, how many people would you please if you were the one determining the weather today? "Perfect" to you may mean 73 degrees and sunny, but I would be bored with that kind of weather after a week! I can enjoy warm weather and short sleeves; but I love jackets, sweaters, and layers of clothes. I like cold weather (occasionally). If I were making the weather today, I might only make 30% of the readership happy!

But the Bible reaffirms that "this is the day which the LORD hath made." There is a certain amount of confidence, contentment, and peace of mind that comes with knowing that whatever the day is, God is the One who made it. No weather forecaster made today--God made this day.

Years ago, John Rice was praying for rain one morning because his little farm on the outskirts of Murfreesboro needed rain. He later found out that across town, a little boy was praying that the weather would be dry so he could attend the fair. So on one side of town, John Rice was praying for rain; and on the other side of town, some little boy was praying for a sunny day! Whose prayer do you think God answered? Well, it was a perfectly sunny day for the fair, and that evening it rained. Mrs. Lloys Rice was even amused that the boy got his prayer answered first!

This is the day that God has made--what should we do about it? "We will rejoice and be glad in it." There is confidence, contentment, and peace in knowing that I am not in charge of the weather (or anything else about today). The weather is in God's hands--"This is the day which the LORD hath made." Whether the weather is sunny or rainy is up to God in heaven!

What will you make with the day that God has made? God made this day, by design and on purpose. What you do with today is up to you. You can have comfort and contentment today because God is the One who made it. What will you do make of the day that God has made?

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Bad things happen. They happen to us. They happen around us. They happen because of us. They happen in spite of us. Bad things happen. When things happen that we don’t necessarily enjoy we need to remember 4 things that will help us to KEEP ON KEEPIN’ ON!

I. KEEP YOUR ACT TOGETHER [12:1a]

1. We are being observed by the Saints above [12:1]

2. We are being observed by the Angels [I Cor. 11:4-10]

3. We are being observed by the Saints & Sinners around us [Matthew 5:16]

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

II. KEEP YOUR HEART RIGHT [12:1b]

This is the basis of:

1. The Question of Jehu [2 Kings 10:15-16]

And when he [Jehu] was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him: and he saluted him, and said to him, Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give me thine hand. And he gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot. And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD. So they made him ride in his chariot.

2. The Prayer of David [Psalm 51:1-12]

3. The Teaching of John [1 John 1:9]

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

C. T. Studd said, “Keep short accounts with God.”

III. KEEP YOUR FEET MOVING [12:1c]

1. Keep active in the Lord’s Work! [Doing whatever you can for the Lord, wherever and whenever]2. If you fall get back up and get back to it!

“The usefulness of a postage stamp is shown by it’s sticking to one thing ‘til it gets done!” -JRF

“I could throw Andrew 8 times out of 10- but he never stayed throwed!” -Andrew Jackson’s boyhood chum

3. Think More not Less!

“Small ambitions are the enemy of great achievements” - J. R. Faulkner

IV. KEEP YOUR EYES FOCUSED [12:2]

1. The Example of Isaiah [Isaiah 6:1]

In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.Isaiah 26:3-4 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

Q: Why are we punished for Adam's sin?

A: When Adam sinned, his punishment was death (Genesis 2:17). Because of Adam's sin, death came upon all men. Some have said that it is harsh for God to punish all of Adam's descendants for something Adam did. But is it? The answer is simple—we are without excuse since we sin too (Romans 3:23; 5:12), and we all deserve death before a perfect Holy God. To assume Adam's descendants are innocent is a false assumption. Due to the sin nature received from Adam, death is coming for all since all have sinned (Romans 3:23).

Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned.

It is illogical to think that two imperfect people could produce perfect offspring. Since Adam and Eve had both sinned and been cursed then it would be impossible for their children to be perfectly free from sin. So the real question is: why would God permit sin nature to pass along to Adam's descendants?Continue reading about why we all stand condemned before a holy God, and the wonderful good news that gives us hope in a fallen world.

Answers in Genesis on your iPhone

If you own an iPhone or iPod Touch (or the upcoming iPad), make a trip over the iTunes Store to download the free Answers in Genesis app. Besides being clean and attractive, this intuitive app lets you check out the latest news stories, review blog posts from our speakers, read about the newest products in our online store, see what's going on at the Creation Museum, and keep up with After Eden.

Stay updated on Answers Outreach at the Olympics

As the world gathers in Vancouver, Canada, for the Winter Olympics, a team of volunteers from Answers in Genesis is once again conducting an outreach at the Olympic Games. Starting February 20, they will be evangelizing among the crowds and passing out over 200,000 booklets about the good news of Jesus. Please pray that the Lord would use this effort to reach many souls for His glory!Answers Outreach is now on Twitter and Facebook, so you can stay updated with the latest information on the 2010 Olympic Outreach and other current events.

News to Note Quick Look

Fallen man: Evolutionists often point to apparent flaws in human design to ridicule the notion of "intelligent design." Now, the author of a new book on "design flaws" in humans offers his perspective. Read more.An "organic" meteorite: A meteorite said to be billions of years old contains molecules that include carbon atoms. Is it therefore proof that life on earth could have been seeded from space? Read more.Also:

Friday, February 19, 2010

Psalm 113:4-5 "The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens. Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high,"

Higher Ways

Have you ever been "put in your place"? Maybe a parent or a spouse has put you in your place-that can be a little uncomfortable and humbling! Psalm 113 puts us in our place, but that is not a bad thing. It is always important to remember our place; and the only way to remember our place is to remember God's place.

The only way to see God is to ascend--to look up. God is high; He is above; and He is to be praised (verses 1-5). First, you must ascend to His thinking. In Isaiah 55:9, God tells us, "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." To rely on another person's thinking is a horizontal dependence; that is, he or she is a human being just like you, made of the same stuff. However, if God is to be seen, you must ascend (look up) to His way of thinking--that is a vertical dependence. I thank God for parents and grandparents who taught me ways that were not their own; they taught me "higher ways"--God's ways.

Secondly, you must ascend to His way of living. I cannot love my wife as I should; but God can, and He can empower me to do what I ought. I cannot raise my kids the way I should; but God knows how--He created the home and gave us a blueprint! God's way of living is much higher than my own way or anyone else's way.

Who can you name that is on God's level? Nobody! The only way for us to see God is to ascend; but the only way for God to see us is to condescend (verse 6)! Often at Christmas, we mention that the Lord Jesus humbled Himself to be born in a stable. Do you realize that Jesus Christ condescended to be born at all, regardless of the place? Even the most magnificent palace made by human hands would not have impressed the God of the universe!

The only response worthy of our great God is found at the end of this psalm: "Praise ye the LORD." Psalm 113 puts us in our place, and that is a good thing! His perspective, His thinking, and His way of living are so much higher than our own! No one is on God's level, but any child of God can have what he lacks (and what God possesses) if he will realize his own place and God's place.

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When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
Psalm 8:3-4